Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Bass called on Raghuji Pant, Minister for Education, Science, and Technology and discussed resuming the internship program for Nepali agricultural students in Israel.

Minister Panta confirmed no barriers remain for students returning to Israel. It proposed increasing the internship quota next year to clear the backlog.

They also held important discussions about the resumption of the internship program in Israel for Nepali agriculture students. The meeting was also attended by Education Ministry Spokesperson and Joint Secretary Shiv Kumar Sapkota and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the Minister appreciated Israel's support for Nepal in various sectors over the years. The Education Minister requested a presentation on the internship program, to which Ambassador Bass provided details about the project, which has been running since 2001. He shared that more than 4,000 Nepali agriculture students have benefited from the program and gained agricultural experience in Israel, many of whom have made significant contributions to Nepal’s agricultural sector upon their return.

However, following the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, Nepali students were temporarily restricted from traveling to Israel. Ambassador Bass warned that if procedural delays continue, Nepal may miss out on the opportunity to send around 1,000 agriculture interns this year—an opportunity vital to advancing Nepal’s agriculture. He requested the Ministry of Education to instruct universities to ensure timely student enrollment and facilitate their travel to Israel.

In this regard, the Ministry of Education clarified that there are no current obstacles to the return of students to Israel for internships. The Ministry has also proposed to increase the quota for next year to meet the rising demand. Based on the positive security assessments from both the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nepali Ambassador to Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already issued a notice stating that Israel's security situation has normalized and that the process for sending students can proceed as before.

All concerned bodies have been urged to expedite the student enrollment process, inform students about the status, and coordinate with universities accordingly.